Warning: This story contains details that readers may find distressing
Mohammed Amin was eight when he died shortly after testing positive for HIV. His fevers were so bad that he insisted on sleeping in the rain, and he writhed in pain like he'd been thrown in hot oil, says his mother, Sughra.
Not long after her brother contracted the virus, Asma was also diagnosed with HIV. Her family believes both children contracted it from injections with contaminated needles during routine medical treatment at a government hospital in Taunsa, Punjab. They are two of the 331 children that BBC Eye has identified as testing positive for HIV in the city between November 2024 and October 2025.
After a doctor at a private clinic linked the outbreak to THQ Taunsa, local authorities promised a massive crackdown and suspended the hospital's medical superintendent in March 2025 – but an undercover investigation reveals that dangerous injection practices continued months later. We witnessed syringes being reused on multi-dose vials of medicine on multiple occasions, creating a risk of viral transmission.
Despite signs in the hospital promoting safe injection practices, we filmed staff injecting patients without sterile gloves, and a different expert highlighted broader weaknesses in infection control training in Pakistan.
The medical superintendent of THQ Taunsa, Dr Qasim Buzdar, dismissed our footage as potentially staged, insisting that the hospital was safe for children. However, leaked reports indicate that unsafe practices were common during inspections, leading to persistent concerns about the healthcare system in the region.
Asma's family worry about her future in light of the stigma associated with HIV, while systemic issues continue to fuel unsafe medical practices.
Dr Fatima Mir, a professor of paediatric medicine, emphasized the need for better training and stricter guidelines on the use of injections in Pakistan, where misuse has led to repeated outbreaks in the past.
